FARGO, N.D. — On May 1, 15 staff members were accepted into the partnership of Eide Bailly LLP, a regional certified public accounting and business advisory firm. This brings the total number of partners to 255.
“This group represents the next crop of leaders for our firm,” said Dave Stende, Eide Bailly managing partner/CEO. “They have proven their dedication to client service and delivering an experience that is second to none. I look forward to seeing their continued accomplishments as they deepen their industry knowledge and leadership skills.”
The new partners are:
Brad Berls, CPA, joined Eide Bailly in 2006 and has experience providing public accounting services to a wide variety of clients, including those in the manufacturing and nonprofit industries, as well as governmental entities. He also services employee benefit plans for businesses, large governmental retirement plans, and regularly conducts audits and financial reviews. Berls received his Bachelor's degree in business administration and accounting and finance from Idaho State University, Pocatello. He works in Eide Bailly’s Boise office.
Ashley Brandt-Duda, CPA, joined Eide Bailly in 2005 and has specialized in serving clients in the health care and nonprofit sectors. She provides financial statement auditing and compliance testing, including Single Audits required by Uniform Guidance. Brandt-Duda also serves on the board of directors for the North Dakota Healthcare Financial Management Association. She has a bachelor’s degrees in accounting, management information science, and business administration with a concentration in financial planning and services from the University of Jamestown, N.D. Brandt-Duda works in Eide Bailly’s Fargo office.
Blake Crow, CPA, has been with Eide Bailly since 2008 and specializes in providing tax planning and tax compliance services to financial institutions. He serves on the firm’s Financial Institution Services Group Tax Committee and Research and Technical Sub-Committee, staying up to date on the latest regulatory changes and industry trends. His work includes preparing regulatory applications and accompanying forecasted financial statements for financial institutions and bank holding companies. Crow has a Bachelor's degree in accounting from Minnesota State University Mankato and has attended the Dakota School of Banking. Crow works in Eide Bailly’s Sioux Falls office.
Chris Gracey, CPA, joined the firm in 2013, bringing with him several years of public accounting experience encompassing a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, wholesale and distribution, software, construction and service industries. Along with tax, audit and accounting services, Gracey is also an experienced business consultant, advising clients on matters relating to stock-based compensation, equity-linked financing, warrants, business combinations and reverse mergers. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in accountancy from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff. He practices in Eide Bailly’s Phoenix office.
Tara Engquist, CPA, joined Eide Bailly in 2006 and is an audit professional with experience planning, performing and supervising audit engagements. She has provided public accounting services to a diverse clientele, including nonprofit organizations, employee benefit plans, governmental entities, single audits and local small businesses. Engquist earned a Bachelor's degree is in professional accounting from Northern State University, Aberdeen. Engquist works in Eide Bailly’s Aberdeen office.
Tom Fogarty, CPA, helps clients in many industries with their audit, accounting and consulting needs. He specializes in working with financial institutions of all sizes. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Accountancy from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks; his Master of Business Administration from North Dakota State University, Fargo; and is a graduate of the Dakota School of Banking, Jamestown, N.D. He works in Eide Bailly’s Sioux Falls office.
Janel Keenan, CPA, joined Eide Bailly in 2000 and provides tax and consulting services to a wide range of individual and business clients. Her specialty is local and state tax, and she’s a member of the firm’s Ag Producers group that focuses on agricultural taxation. Keenan’s experience includes property, and excise, corporate and state tax services, as well as knowledge of R&D credits and other specialized credits and deductions for manufacturers and service providers. Keenan has her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Montana State University, Bozeman. She works in Eide Bailly’s Billings office.
Joe Monty, CPA, joined Eide Bailly in 2012 and provides tax and accounting services to a variety of industries: specifically oil and gas, manufacturing, banking, retail, healthcare, real estate and professional services. His experience also includes time with a Big Four firm, where he worked with middle to large market clients as a senior tax consultant. Monty is adept at identifying creative tax strategies for high-net-worth individuals, trusts, partnerships and corporate taxpayers. He earned his Bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin, Madison; Bachelor's degree in real estate from the University of Wisconsin; and a Masters of Taxation from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law and Daniels College of Business. He works in Eide Bailly’s Fort Collins office.
Andrea Mouw*, J.D., provides a depth of expertise to Eide Bailly clients that’s difficult to find. With a law degree and years of federal, state and international tax experience, her focus is on accounting method issues, such as income and expense recognition, capitalization, Section 199 and inventory issues. She also has experience advising clients on issues related to the taxation of financial products and alternative investments. Mouw received her Bachelor's degree in business from Curtis L. Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota; and her Juris Doctor from the William Mitchell College of Law. Mouw practices in Eide Bailly’s Minneapolis office.
Debbie Potter, CPA, joined Eide Bailly in 2007 and has devoted much of her professional career to serving the tax and accounting needs of businesses large and small. She offers tax compliance, business advisory and consulting services to a variety of clients in industries as diverse as real estate, financial institutions, family-owned businesses and high wealth individuals. Potter also serves on Eide Bailly’s Tax Technical Committee and is a member of the firm’s Financial Institutions Services Group and State and Local Practice Group. Potter earned a Bachelor's degree in accounting from Montana State University, Billings; and her Masters of Taxation from the University of Denver. She practices in Eide Bailly’s Billings office.
Mitch Rasmussen, CPA, helps his clients keep up with new accounting and regulatory standards. The finance and consulting services he offers enable the businesses and organizations who work with him to make the best decisions and change for the better. Rasmussen received two Bachelor's degrees, one in accounting and one in finance, from Boise State University. He works in Eide Bailly’s Spokane office.
Maria Schwingler, CPA, joined Eide Bailly in 2005 and provides audit, accounting and business consulting services to a variety of clients. Her specialty is employee benefit plans and nonprofit organizations, and she spends much of her time coordinating and overseeing various audit engagements. Schwingler works with organizations to understand the impact of accounting changes, including changes and disclosure requirements, employee benefit plan financial statements and any related regulatory changes, as well as communicating audit results to management, committees and boards. Schwingler has a Bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. She is the audit department head in Eide Bailly’s Minneapolis office.
Jerad Suess, CPA/PFS, joined Eide Bailly in 2013 and specializes in serving the needs of the oil and gas industry in western North Dakota. He provides consulting and tax preparation services for corporations, partnerships and individual clients. For his oil and gas industry clients, Suess offers tax planning and compliance services, and he also advises other clients who provide services to the industry. In short, he’s an experienced professional when it comes to the specific, often complex needs of energy producers, as well as the businesses they rely on. Suess has a Bachelor's degree in Accountancy from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. He works in Eide Bailly’s Williston office.
Shauna Shafer, CPA, splits her time helping medical firms, high-net-worth clients and mid-market companies with taxation, practices and compliance services. She enables businesses to make the best decisions and plan for a better future. She has her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Mesa State College, Grand Junction, Colo. She works in Eide Bailly’s Denver office.
Adam Vonachen, CPA, has cultivated a diverse client portfolio, working with clients from industries such as real estate, retail and software. He has extensive experience working with many of Colorado’s energy service companies, as well as with high-net-worth individuals and their families. Vonachen won the Eide Bailly Leadership Excellence Award in 2012 for his devotion to his clients and coworkers. He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Colorado, Denver. He practices in Eide Bailly’s Denver office.